The famous ‘Battle of Saragarhi’ was fought on September 12, 1897, by 21 Sikhs of the 36th Sikhs (now 4th Battalion of the Sikh Regiment), who gave up their lives defending an army post, fighting against 10,000 Afghans. The battle occurred in the North-West Frontier Province and is now named the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and is part of Pakistan. The 21 Sikh contingent was led by Havildar Ishar Singh and they all fought to death.

All the 21 Sikh non-commissioned officers and soldiers of other ranks who laid down their lives in the Battle of Saragarhi were posthumously awarded the Indian Order of Merit, the highest gallantry award of that time, which an Indian soldier could receive by the hands of the British crown, the corresponding gallantry award being Victoria Cros

Memorials
Amritsar

Gurudwara Saragarhi stands in Amritsar marking the brave sacrifices of the 21 Sikhs. The Gurdwara is located near to the Golden Temple. The names of the 21 Sikhs are engraved onto the walls of the temple. This location is relatively unknown and most people pass it by.

Ferozepur

The Gurudwara, named Saragarhi memorial, in Ferozepur today stands as a protected monument and is a tribute to those Sikh soldiers who sacrificed their lives. The memorial gurudwara, surrounded by half-a-dozen small and big cannons with names of the 21 brave soldiers inscribed on its walls, was built by the army with stones from the Saragarhi post.It was declared open in 1904 by Sir Charles Revz. Saragarhi memorial is an inspiration to many a symbol of courage and bravery.

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